Dispenser for liner-wound adhesive tape



June 9, 1964 K. B. KNUTSON DISPENSER FOR LINER-WOUND ADHESIVE TAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1961 Fig.5

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June 9, 1964 B. KNUTSON 3,136,462

DISPENSER FOR LINER-WOUND ADHESIVE TAPE Filed May 1, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ker-unit SB. Kali C5011. 76

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United States Patent 3,136,462 DISPENSER FGR LlNER-WOUND ADHESKVE TAPE Kermit R. Knutson, 1316 E. 24th St, Minneapolis 4, Minn. Filed May l, 1961, Ser. No. 106,616 3 Claims. (@l. 225-24) My invention relates to improvements in dispensers for dispensing double-coated liner-wound pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

Tape of this type, adhesively coated on both sides, is marketed in various widths, a length of the tape being wound in a roll on an annular core together with a liner interposed between the convolutions of the tape.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved, relatively simple, durable and inexpensive dispenser for such tape which will conveniently receive a supply roll of the tape of any conventional width and support it for rotation to enable the tape to be withdrawn from the roll in desired lengths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser, as aforesaid, having a take-up drum for the liner and driving means for said drum driven by the advancing tape, the drum being adapted to strip the liner from the advancing tape and wind the stripped liner thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the driving means for the liner take-up drum a drive roller for frictional contact with the tape and gearing between said drive roller and drum for turning the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guide roller disposed relative to the drive roller so that the tape may be drawn from the supply roll about said guide roller and then about the drive roller in a sepentine path and, further to provide a relationship between the liner take-up drum and said guide roller and drive roller, whereby said drum will wind the liner thereon pulling it angularly relative to and stripping it from the tape at a point between said guide roller and drive roller.

An additional object of the invention is to provide in a dispenser, as above indicated, a juxtaposed relationship between the guide roller and drive roller, whereby the run of the tape therebetween will be relatively short and firm against the liner-stripping pull of the liner thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutter blade about which the tape is passed for its severance, the disposition of said blade relative to the drive roller being such as to continue the serpentine form of the path of the tape forwardly of the drive roller, thereby to enhance the maintenance of frictional contact between the tape and said drive roller.

A further object of the invention is featured in the interposition of an applicator roller in the path of the tape between the drive roller and cutter knife for application of the advancing tape to the surface of an object, a related objective being to provide the dispenser with a guide for an object to which the advancing tape is being applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide driving means between the drive roller and liner take-up drum of such construction that the peripheral travel of the drum will slightly exceed the peripheral travel of the drive roller, thereby to compensate for stretching of the stripped liner with but little slippage of the tape on the drive roller.

Additionally, it is an object of the invention to provide a liner take-up drum of relatively large diameter in relation to the amount of liner to be wrapped on said drum from the tape supply roll, thereby to minimize the building up of the liner on said drum and thus to minimize the increasing power requirements of the take-up drum as well as slippage of the tape on the drive roller.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tape dispenser constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in detail of the inner end of the liner take-up drum.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in detail showing the construction of the drum-driving sprocket.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of the invention including an applicator roller over which the stripped tape runs en route to the cutter blade.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the construction shown in FIG. 8.

The form of dispenser illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, inclusive, includes a frame 10 of sheet metal, said frame including an upstanding mounting panel 11 and a base plate 12 extending outwardly from said panel. Extending rearwardly from the rear marginal portion of the mounting panel 11 is an arm 13 having an outwardly bent terminal portion providing a spindle 14 for a supply roll of tape 15, wound on an annular core 16. Said arm 13 is fastened to the mounting panel 11 for pivotal adjustment thereon by means of a bolt 17 extending through both arm 13 and panel 11 and fitted with a wing nut 18 turned against the inner side of said panel 11. Fixed at its inner end to the mounting panel 11 and extending outwardly from said panel forwardly of the spindle 14 is a stud 19 on which a liner take-up drum A is revolubly mounted. Said stud 19 is a length of round rod having a threaded end extending through the panel 11 and fitted with clamping nuts 20, 21 which bear against the inner and outer sides, respectively, of said mounting panel 11. The takeup drum A includes a pair of drum heads a each having a center web 22 with a central opening 23 therein of the same diameter as that of the stud 19 and adapted to receive said stud. Each drum head a also has a peripheral flange 24 and an annular shoulder 25 between the web 22 and flange 24-, the annular shoulder 25 fitting snugly into one end of a cylindrical body 26 consisting of a length of tubing, said body 26 being secured to said shoulder 25' as by means of a suitable adhesive. The peripheral flange 24 of the drum head a at the inner end of the drum A bears against the end of the drum body 26. The peripheral flange 24 of the drum head a at the outer end of said drum A bears against an annular flange 27 which encircles the shoulder 25 of said head a edgewiseand bears sidewise against the outer end of said body 26 of the drum. The drum A is held inwardly on the stud 19 by means of an abutment cap 28 of resilient material applied to and releasably gripping the outer end of said stud 19.

Above the take-up drum A is a drive roller B extending outwardly from the mounting panel 11. Said drive roller B consists of a bushing 29 and a covering sleeve 30 therefor of plastic material secured thereto, the inner end of said bushing 29 extending beyond said sleeve 30 and having a drive sprocket 31 fixed thereto. Said drive roller B is revolubly mounted on a headed bolt 32 extending through the mounting panel 11 with the head 33 of said bolt abutting the outer end of the bushing 29 and with the inner threaded end of said bolt 32 extending through the mounting panel 11. Clamping nuts 34, 35 on said threaded end of said bolt 32 at the inner and outer sides,

respectively, of the mounting panel ill secure the bolt 32 to said panel.

The drive sprocket 31 of the drive roller B is connected by a chain 36 with a driven sprocket 37 revoluble on the stud l? on which the take-up drum A turns. Said driven sprocket 37 is shown as a laminated structure consisting of two disc like members b welded together, said members 12 being oppositely offset centrally thereof to provide relatively spaced hub portions 33 each of which has a key opening 39 therein formed by a bore provided with a branch key way A key 41 consisting of a split sleeve 42 with outwardly turned lips 43 is fitted in said key openings 39 in the sprocket 37 and is suitably secured as by welding or otherwise to the members 12 of said sprockets. Said key 41 rotates with the sprocket 37, the sleeve 42 of the key revolubly receiving the stud 19 and turning thereon; The inner head a of the take-up drum A has a boss 44 centrally thereof, the same being formed with an axial key opening 45 having a branch key way 46. Said key opening 45 receives the outer end portion of the key sense 4-1 which projects from the driven sprocket 37 with the result that the rotation of said sprocket 37 is imparted to the take-up drum A.

Rearwardly of the drive roller B is an idler guide roller C which is similar to said drive roller B in construction and mounting. Said guide roller C includes a bushing 47 and a sleeve 43 thereon, the bushing 47 being journaled on a headed bolt 49, the head 59 of said bolt abutting the outer end of the bushing 47 while the threaded end of said bolt 49 extends through the mounting panel 11 and is fitted with clamping nuts 51, 52 which engage opposite sides of said panel 11.

Forwardly of the drive roller B is a cutter blade 53 for severance of the tape drawn from the supply roll 15. A pintle 5h extending outwardly from the mounting panel 11 carries the cutter blade 53. Said blade 53 is attached to said pintle 54 by means of a split sleeve 55 thereon, said sleeve having opposed lips 56 and being spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the pintle 54 opposite said lips 56. These lips 56 receive the blade 53 therebetween yieldingly gripping and holding said blade in place with its cutting edge 53* facing forwardly beneath the level of the upper side of said sleeve 55, such side of said sleeve providing a holding surface for the tape 15* after and While an extended terminal portion of said tape is severed by downwardly tensioning such tape portion against the cutting edge 53 of said blade 53.

A drum D on the spindle l4 revolubly supports therein the tape supply roll 15. Said drum D includes a pair of drum heads d, each having a center web 57 with an axial bore 58 therein for the reception of the spindle. Each drum head (2 has an annular shoulder 59 and a pcripheral flange 69 extending therefrom. The shoulder 59 of each drum head d is received within the core 16 of its tape supply roll 15 at one end of the core with the peripheral flange 60 extending from such shoulder abut ting such end of the core. Two collars 61, 62 on the spindle 14 at opposite sides of the drum D abutt the center webs 57 of their respective drum heads d and hold them in roll supporting relationship. Said collars 61, 62 are of resilient material yieldingly gripping the spindle 14 and are capable of adjustment along said spindle in accommodation of tape supply rolls of varying length.

The spindle 14, guide roller C, drive roller B, cutter blade 53 and take-up drum A parallel each other and are coextensive. The top of the guide roller C is above the gottom of the drive roller B and so also is the cutter blade The tape supply roll 15 is mounted on the spindle 14 through the medium of the drum D in such end-for-end thence over the cutter blade 53. The parted liner 15 is led to the take-up drum A and rendered secure relative thereto by inserting the terminal portion of the liner 15 edgewise into a kerf 63 formed in the drum body 26 circumferentially thereof.

At the surface of the drum body 26, the said terminal portion of the liner 15 is twisted into position fiatwise of said drum body, the twisted portion of the liner being caught in the trailing end of therkerf 62 and thus held by the subsequent wrap of the liner ISP on said drum body 26.

With the guide roller C, drive roller B and cutter blade 53 staggered relative to each other, the tape 15 following the same in a serpentine path will frictionally engage the drive roller B and turn it clockwise as seen in FIG. 1. Said drive roller B being geared to the take-up drum A as aforesaid, said drum A will likewise turn in the same direction stripping the liner 15" from the tape l5 while leading it angularly away from the tape at a point in the short run thereof between the juxtaposed guide roller C and drive roller B.

The gear ratio between the drive roller B and the liner take-up drum A is desirably such that the drive roller B will turn several times to one turn of the take-up drum A and the diameter of said liner take-up drum will be relatively large and such that its peripheral travel slightly exceeds that of the drive roller B. By this arrangement the take-up drum A will compensate for any stretching of the liner 15* after it is stripped from the tape 15 It is further desirable that the take-up drum A be of relatively large diameter in relation to the amount of tape liner to be wrapped on the take-up drum A from the tape supply roll 15, since the larger the diameter of the drum A the less the liner 15 will build up thereon and the less will be the increase in the power requirement of the take-up drum and the less will be the slippage of the tape 15* on the drive roller B.

More or less slippage of the tape 15 on the drive roller B occurs intermittently in compensation for the gain in peripheral travel of the take-up drum A over the peripheral travel of the drive roller B. 'Such slippage is enhanced by the liner 15 as it is parted from the tape 15 and winds up on the drum A, the enhancement of such slippage making for uniformity in the exertion of force required to draw the tape from the dispenser. As the liner 15 is stripped from the tape 15 and wound up on the drum A, it pulls on the tape in a direction tending to draw the tape away from the drive roller and reduce its area of frictional contact with the periphery of said roller. Thus, compensating slippage of the tape 15" on the drive roller B, is facilitated.

To remove from the drum A the tape liner 15 wrapped thereon, said drum A is removed from the stud 19 following the removal of the abutment cap 28 from said stud. Thereupon the convolutions of the liner 15 may be slipped oil of the drum body 26 at its inner end.

' In the modified form of my invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the cutter blade 53 is carried by an arm 64 extending forwardly from the mounting panel 11. Occupying the blades position on said panel 11 is an idler applicator roller E. Similar to the construction and mounting of the idler guide roller C, the applicator roller E includes a bushing 65 with a covering sleeve 66 thereon, the bushing 65 being journaled on a headed bolt 67 which is secured to the mounting panel 11 by inner and outer clamp nuts 68, 69. The inner threaded end of the bolt 67 extends through the rear end of said blade-supporting arm 64 and said nuts 63, 69 clamp the arm 64 in place. Included in the frame It is a plate 68 which extends outwardly from the mounting panel 1 1 above the drive roller B and guide roller C. This plate 68 protects said drive roller B and guide roller C and serves as a table to slidably support a sheet 69 or other object as it is contacted with the tape 15 at the point ofits overrun of the applicator roller. E, and also as said object is advanced with the moving tape in effecting the applicationof the tape to the object. On the table plate 68 is a guide 76 for objects to be moved along said plate 68 and over the tape on the applicator roller E. Said guide 70 includes a platelike bed member 71 and a guide flange 72 upstanding therefrom. Said guide 70 may be releasably held in adjusted positions on the table plate 68 by pieces of the double-coated tape (not shown) applied to the bottom of the bed member 71 of the guide 7%, which pieces of tape, in turn, adhere to the upper surface of said table plate 68.

The drive sprocket 31 for the drive roller B and the driven sprocket 37 for the take-up drum A and the chain 36 overrunning said sprockets are preferably encased by a housing 73 formed from a piece of sheet material. This housing has an upright outwardly facing panel 74. Inturned from said housing panel 74 forwardly thereof is an offset 75 having thereon a forwardly-turned attaching flange 76. And, inturned from said housing panel 74 rearwardly thereof is an offset 77 having thereon a rearwardly turned attaching flange 73. These attaching flanges 76, 78 bear against the mounting panel 11 of the frame 10, the rearwardly disposed flange 76 being secured to said mounting panel 11 by the bolt 17 and wing nut 18 employed in attaching the spindle arm 13 thereto. The forwardly disposed attaching flange 78 is secured at the top thereof to the mounting panel 11 by the cutter-blade pintle 54 and clamp nuts '79, 8t) thereon which secure said pintle 54 to the mounting panel 11, there being an additional screw 81 fastening the lower portion of said attaching flange 78 to said mounting panel 11. Openings 82, 83 and 84 in the housing panel '74 receive the inner end portions of the drive roller 13, guide roller C and drum boss 44, respectively.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispenser for dispensing tape from a roll of double-coated liner-wound pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, a frame, a spindle mounted thereon for revolubly supporting a supply roll at the rear of said frame, a liner take-up drum revolubly mounted on the frame forwardly of said spindle, a drive roller revolubly mounted on the frame above said take-up drum, a guide roller revolubly mounted on the frame rearwardly of the drive roller, a cutter blade mounted on the frame forwardly of said drive roller, said spindle, take-up drum, drive roller, guide roller and cutter blade being coextensive with each other, the top of the guide roller and the cutter blade being higher than the bottom of the drive roller, the guide roller being adapted to support a run of tape drawn thereover with the liner lowermost from the supply roll on the spindle, the drive roller being adapted to be underrun and frictionally turned by the tape led thereto from the top of the guide roller and led therefrom to the cutter blade for severance of the tape by said blade, drive means connecting the drive roller with the liner take-up drum, said drive means imparting peripheral travel to said takeup drum in excess of that of the drive roller, said take-up drum being adapted to wrap thereon the liner of the advancing tape, stripping the liner from the tape by leading the liner angularly downwardly and rearwardly from the tape at a point adjacent the drive roller between it and the idler roller, thus pulling the liner in a direction tending to draw the tape away from the drive roller and reduce its area of frictional contact therewith, thereby to facilitate compensating slippage between tape and drive roller.

2. A dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide roller and drive roller are juxtaposed, whereby the run of tape between said rollers is relatively short and firm against the pull of the liner on the tape as said liner is stripped from the tape by the take-up drum.

3. In a dispenser for dispensing tape from a roll of double-coated liner-wound pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, a frame, a spindle mounted thereon for revolubly supporting a supply roll of the tape, a drive roller and a cutter blade all mounted coextcnsively with each other on the frame and relatively positioned so that tape drawn from the supply roll tothe cutter blade will have an area of contact with the drive roller peripherally thereof for frictionally turning the same as the tape is advanced, a liner take-up drum revolubly mounted on the frame, drive means connecting the drive roller with the liner take-up drum, said drive means imparting peripheral travel to the take-up drum exceeding that of the peripheral travel of the drive roller, said take-up drum being adapted to wrap thereon the liner of the advancing tape, stripping the liner from the tape, pulling the liner in a direction tending to draw the tape away from the drive roller and reduce its area of frictional contact therewith, thereby to facilitate compensating slippage between tape and drive roller.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,275,858 Mallard Mar. 10, 1942 2,325,400 Hoover July 27, 1943 2,652,115 Mysels Sept. 15, 1953 2,708,076 Polster et al. May 10, 1955 2,720,262 Hanson Oct. 11, 1955 2,743,064 Le Febvre et al Apr. 24, 1956 

1. IN A DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING TAPE FROM A ROLL OF DOUBLE-COATED LINER-WOUND PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE, A FRAME, A SPINDLE MOUNTED THEREON FOR REVOLUBLY SUPPORTING A SUPPLY ROLL AT THE REAR OF SAID FRAME, A LINER TAKE-UP DRUM REVOLUBLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FORWARDLY OF SAID SPINDLE, A DRIVE ROLLER REVOLUBLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME ABOVE SAID TAKE-UP DRUM, A GUIDE ROLLER REVOLUBLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME REARWARDLY OF THE DRIVE ROLLER, A CUTTER BLADE MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FORWARDLY OF SAID DRIVE ROLLER, SAID SPINDLE, TAKE-UP DRUM, DRIVE ROLLER, GUIDE ROLLER AND CUTTER BLADE BEING COEXTENSIVE WITH EACH OTHER, THE TOP OF THE GUIDE ROLLER AND THE CUTTER BLADE BEING HIGHER THAN THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVE ROLLER, THE GUIDE ROLLER BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A RUN OF TAPE DRAWN THEREOVER WITH THE LINER LOWERMOST FROM THE SUPPLY ROLL ON THE SPINDLE, THE DRIVE ROLLER BEING ADAPTED TO BE UNDERRUN AND FRICTIONALLY TURNED BY THE TAPE LED THERETO FROM THE TOP OF THE GUIDE ROLLER AND LED THEREFROM TO THE CUTTER BLADE FOR SEVERANCE OF THE TAPE BY SAID BLADE, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTING THE DRIVE ROLLER WITH THE LINER TAKE-UP DRUM, SAID DRIVE MEANS IMPARTING PERIPHERAL TRAVEL TO SAID TAKEUP DRUM IN EXCESS OF THAT OF THE DRIVE ROLLER, SAID TAKE-UP DRUM BEING ADAPTED TO WRAP THEREON THE LINER OF THE ADVANCING TAPE, STRIPPING THE LINER FROM THE TAPE BY LEADING THE LINER ANGULARLY DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM THE TAPE AT A POINT ADJACENT THE DRIVE ROLLER BETWEEN IT AND THE IDLER ROLLER, THUS PULLING THE LINER IN A DIRECTION TENDING TO DRAW THE TAPE AWAY FROM THE DRIVE ROLLER AND REDUCE ITS AREA OF FRICTIONAL CONTACT THEREWITH, THEREBY TO FACILITATE COMPENSATING SLIPPAGE BETWEEN TAPE AND DRIVE ROLLER. 